Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-10-10
ROCKS AHEAD OF GOULD.
UNITED STATES LAWS THAT MAY
GIVE HIM SOME TROUBLE

In Connection with His Latest Absorption
of MISUNDERSTANDING That the b.
l. o. Deal viii Stir Congress to Enact
Measures to Curb the Telegraph Mono
poiy-Garrett's Alleged Declaration.
WASHINGTON CITY, Oct l0-The absorb
ton OF the Baltimore & Ohio Telegraph com
pany by the Western Union-if it is a fact
that the consolidation is effected-is attract
ing much attention here from those who are
accustomed to follow the movements of con-
gress The opinion prevails that as conse-
quence of this consolidation, the attempt to
secure some national legislation on the sub
lect of Interstate telegraph will be renewed
with much better prospects of success than
has hitherto seemed possible. There are
few who believe that it will be the purpose of
the owners Of the new telegraph cOmbina-
ton TO sell this great property to the
federal government for sum that will
lie satisfactory to the owners of it, But
the few congressman who are here do not be-
lieve that the telegraph companies can induce
congress to initiate legislation which will
have IN view the purchase of the stock of the
existing companies, or of the consolidated
company, at any price which the owners
would be likely TO accept On the contrary,
they maintain that the fact that the great
telegraph lines of the country are by this
consolidation practically placed under one
management will furnish new and powerful
arguments for legislation, which will do all
that legislation can to make the telegraph
business free to all who can command suff-
Gent capital or to render it practicable
for the government to go into the
telegraph business on its own account
or to enable new companies to estab-
lish telegraph lines along all post
roads: and the power of the government to
declare road post-road Is very compre-
hensve. There are some provisions in exist
ing laws which may have an important bear
ink upon the future of the telegraph business
in this country, and which possibly may not
be without ultimate effect upon the CONSOLE
datlon which it is supposed has just been ac-
complished.
The chapter Of the revised statutes relating
to telegraph companies may furnish some
light upon the subject, and careful examin-
alton of that chapter will show that the gov
eminent, without further enactments, has
much greater power over the telegraph sys-
tenn of the country than is generally sup
posed Chapter S. revised statutes, con-
tains, among other things, these provisions:
Any telegraph company chartered by any
state shall have the right to construct and oper
ate lines yer the public domain. over any of the
military or post roads, and over, under or across
the navigable steams or waters of the United
States; but such lines of telegraph shall be so
constructed and maintained as not to obstrnct
the navigation of such streams and waters or in
tertere with the ordinary travel on such military
or post roads. The rights and privileges granted
by the acts which relate to teegraphs shall not
he Transferred by any company acting thereun-
der to any other corporatIcu, association, per
sou.
Possibly this provision may lie of interest
to those Who have conducted Telegraph con-
solIdations, for it is probable that some por-
lions of the line OF thu telegraph company
which has been transferred do run over the
navigable waters of the United States, or
over some portions of the public domain, or
IN some way within the provisions of this act.
Section 5, 367 provides:
Before any Telegraph company shall exercise
any of the powers privileges conferred by the
law, such company shall file their written accept
ance with the postmaster general of the rrstric
tons and obligations required by law.
The written acceptance of all the principal
telegraph companies of the United States ara
filed in the postoffice depar tment as contem.
plated by this section; and, of course, all tele-
graph companies who have accepted the con
dltlons OF this act are bound by this statute
What power such an acceptance gives the
general government Is for the lawyers to de
termine- Another section IN this chapter
gives the United States the right to purchase
all the telegraph lines of the United States,
the owners of which have accepted the pro
visions of this chapter: AT an appraised
value to be ascertained by five competent dis
interested persons, two of whom shall be Sc
lected by the postmaster general of
the United States, two Ivy the company in
tereSted, and one by the four SO pre-
vIously selected 1t is possible, therefore,
or 1t would seem from the reading of the
statute to be possible, for the United States
in the discretion of the postmaster general.
to at least initiate negotiations for the pur-
chase of the telegraph lines without anv
further action by congress: but a naked
power to appoint a board of appraisers would
lee Of little consequence without the neces-
sary appropriation from congress. Mr. Ed |
munds announced in an incidental remark |
hear the end Of the Forty eight congress that |
he should make it his business in the next |
succeeding congress to endeayor to secure |
some legislation looking to the government
control OF the telegraph He did not mani. |
fest the zeal that was expected OF him To this |
end in the last congress 1t remains TO b. |
seen whether DO will carry out his promise in |
the congress which is soon to convene |